How to Verse Map

Growing up, I was always told it was important to study my Bible. But what did that mean? Where was I supposed to start? As a teenager, I decided to research different Bible study methods. I wanted to learn more about God and His word, so I decided to dive into the sea of overwhelming information that is Google. One study option I discovered was to verse map. I found it could be very beneficial, but I also needed to tailor it to my needs. Thankfully, verse mapping only has a few essential components that are easy to master. Once you get these down, you can start building on them by putting them together in whatever combination you choose in order to unlock the amazing truths found in God’s Word.

What is verse mapping?

            Verse mapping is a Bible study method that allows you to get the most out of a verse or a small cluster of verses. It typically breaks the verse down by syntax, diction, and main ideas, but it can also be used to look at things like root words or historical and literary context.

Is it hard?

To be honest, verse mapping can get messy, especially when you are first starting out and unfamiliar with the process. The nice thing about it, though, is that you can make it as complicated or easy as you want. The depth you want to go into a particular verse is entirely up to you! There may be some initial awkwardness as you get used to it, but once you get comfortable, you’ll learn  much more about the verse than you would have from a cursory glance. I typically include verse maps right in the middle of my Bible journal, which you can learn more about here.

What do I need?

-        Bible

-        Notebook/Bible journal

-        Colored pens (black or dark blue, plus some brighter colors)

-        Concordance for root words, I recommend Strong’s! (Some Bible apps have a Strong’s concordance built right in. You can also search Google to find root words, but it isn’t recommended unless you know exactly what you’re looking for. Lexicons can be SUPER confusing. Believe me, I tried looking at some online. It’s easier to walk to the other room and get your concordance.)

Picking a Verse

            To start off, you’ll want a verse that has a list of items or is packed full of theology that you can look through and explore at your own pace. Some good verses to begin with are:

-        1 Peter 3:8-17

-        1 Timothy 6:3-5,11-12

-        2 Timothy 1:7-12

-        Titus 1:7-16; 2:1-15

-        James 1:2-6, 17-27; 3:13-18

How to Verse Map

1.      Write down your verse in the center of the page in dark blue or black ink. Use clear, large letters.

2.      Decide whether you want to use  the artsy method or the formulaic method.

a.      Artsy Method

                                                    i. You can mark around words or phrases you want to unpack with different colors or shapes (e.g. circling, boxing, squiggles, etc.) This is where your colored pens come into play. Then, draw a line from the selected phrase to the blank space around the verse  and write something deeper about it. This could be commentary on what the verse means to you, your thoughts about it, a root or Latin word with a definition, or questions you may have.

                                                   ii. When you’re done, you should have a lot of colors surrounding the verse you copied and a cloud of notes around the outside. You can keep your lines and organization very loose or stick to a stricter regiment of straight lines and boxes.

b.      Formulaic Method

                                                    i. This is for my folks who had a slight panic attack at the thought of clouds of notes and squiggles of color flowing freely on their notebook page.

                                                   ii. Rather than resort to controlled chaos, you can use your colored pens to make footnotes. Numbered or lettered footnotes will work, but I recommend making a bracket or some other kind of mark to represent where you want your footnote to start. This way, if you want to capture a phrase, you know that your footnote is talking about the whole phrase rather than just the last word. It can also come in handy in case your thoughts or selected phrases begin to overlap. This prevents you from rewriting parts of the passage, but if you want to, go for it! You can list your footnotes below the passage you wrote out and place your commentary accordingly.

Examples

  If you’re like me, then the words you just read probably made sense, but you’ll still have to go back and read it a second or third time to make sure you fully understand the process you’re going to be attempting. For the more visual people out there, the picture below demonstrates the two potential types of verse mapping. Feel free to modify them however you’d like!

Artsy verse maps take up a little bit more space, but they allow you to see everything in a "map" format. I added extra colors around the commentary I made so that I could easily see which blurb of commentary went with which mark.

Formulaic verse maps are nice if you are crunched for space or prefer a list format. You can use your colors to separate the selected phrases in your written verse or color code your footnotes.

Remember that verse mapping is a form of Bible study, and its purpose is that it works for YOU in your walk with the Lord as you strive to learn about God’s word. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I’d love to see your verse maps in the comments!